The association of driver age with traffic injury severity in Wisconsin. Traffic Inj Prev 2009 Aug;10(4):361-7
Date
07/14/2009Pubmed ID
19593714Pubmed Central ID
PMC4890477DOI
10.1080/15389580902973635Scopus ID
2-s2.0-70349252284 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 39 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVES: To quantify the association of driver's age with the risk of being injured, dying, and experiencing injuries of different severity when involved in a motor vehicle crash.
METHODS: Data from the Wisconsin Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES) from 2002 to 2004 were used to study 602,964 drivers of a car or truck who were involved in a motor vehicle crash. Odds ratios (OR) or relative risk ratios (RRR) and their 95 percent confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for age groups, in relation to the outcomes of injury, fatality, and injury severity using logistic regression models, which controlled for sex, alcohol use, urban/rural location, seat belt use, ejection, airbag deployment, vehicle type, and highway class.
RESULTS: Increasing age was strongly associated the risk of dying or experiencing severe injuries for drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes with the greatest risk in drivers 85 years and older. Compared to drivers aged 25-44, drivers 85 years and older had the highest risks for moderate injury (ISS = 9-15; RRR = 5.44, 95% CI: 3.97-7.47), severe injury (ISS = 16-74; (RRR = 4.32, 95% CI: 2.73-6.84), and fatality (OR = 10.93, 95% CI: 7.76-15.38). In contrast, drivers 85 years and older had no increase in risk for minor injury (ISS = 1-8; OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.84-1.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The oldest drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes had the highest risk for severe injury and fatality. In light of the increasing number of the oldest drivers and their poor outcomes from severe trauma, substantial morbidity can be expected to occur in the oldest drivers. Evidence-based measures to reduce the risks to older drivers should continue to be developed, evaluated, and implemented.
Author List
Hanrahan RB, Layde PM, Zhu S, Guse CE, Hargarten SWAuthor
Stephen W. Hargarten MD, MPH Professor in the Emergency Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Accidents, TrafficAdolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Automobile Driving
Confidence Intervals
Female
Humans
Injury Severity Score
Logistic Models
Male
Middle Aged
Motor Vehicles
Odds Ratio
Risk
Sex Factors
Wisconsin
Wounds and Injuries
Young Adult